Improvement in fifth-wheels



J'. BURT. FIFTH-WHEEL.

N 0.176,770. Paten'td. May ZV1-876.

WITNESSES lN. PETERS, PHOTOLITHOGRAFMER, WASHINGTON. D C.

INVEJVTQR UNTTED STATES PATENT Enron, 1

i VJOHN BURT, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIFTH-WHEELS.-

Specilication forming part ofLetters Patent No. 176,770, dated May 2,1876; application tiled March131, 1876.

`To all whom it may concern:

had to the accompanyingdrawings,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved fifthwheel, designed, .moreespecially, for use onv what are termed platform-trucks, wherein thebolster admits of being turned about the kingloolt to any extentwhatever.

My invention consists in certaindetails of construction, as hereinafterspecied and claimed.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention. Figs 2 is anend elevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional View, by a Vertical plane passedlongitudinally through the bolster and the arched cross-bar, and showingparts in elevation. y

A is any ordinary frame, truck', or gear, composed of the four parts A BC, A being the side pieces, B the back, and O the front, cross-pieces. p

Heretofore the construction of the fifthwheel has been such, when madeupon the principle here involved, that one was obliged to support itupon cross-pieces, and longitudinal pieces resting upony the gear A B G.In my device D' is the lower plate, resting directly upon the pieces Aand B, and secured thereto by bolts and clips, -or otherwise. D' is anelevated inclined way, upon which the rollers traverse. E is across-piece, extending from one side of the lower plate diametricallyacross to the other side, and made, preferably, in a single piece orcasting with the said lower plate.. This cross-bar E is arched, asshown,so that,without making the structure too heavy and unwieldy, itpossesses sufficient strength to sustain the entire load that issuperposed upon it. So, also, it will be observed that the elevatedinclined way D' serves the double purpose of a roller-way to stiffen thelower ring against the outward thrust of the arched cross-piece E, andalso stiffens the lower ring against any unusual vertical strain.

F is the upper circular plate, and depending from it at differentpointsabout its circumference are trunnion-seats F', into which the trunnionsG of the rollers Gr are situated and retained. These trunnion seats F'extend well down, so that the lower ends preferably embrace the inclinedway between them, the .object being as follows: The trunnions Gr' arenot fastened in any way in the seats 5 therefore they always rest on theway D', no matter whet-her the upper plate may be tilted or not; but, ifthe upper plate is tilted over to one side slightly, then theseats F',extending down so far, will retain the trunnions within the slot orthroat f'. are made, preferably, of conical form, the said apices of thecones being at the center of motion, so thatthe rollers will have notendency to slide. H is a block resting upon the cross-bar E, and havinga firm bearing thereon, and adjusted to turn about the king-bolt I. Theplate H is, preferably, provided with an annular recess, h, into whichthe annular tongue e projects from the cross-bars that jointly serve tohold the parts always in the same relation with each other. J is thebolster, to which the front of the vehicle-body is attached. Thisbolster is likewise attached to the plate H, and to the upper circularplate F.

It will be noticed that the cross-bar E in myV fifth-wheel is so archedand adjusted, With respect to the plate H and the bolster J, that theweight of the front of the vehicle will rest entirely upon the archedbar E, and not upon the rollers G. Y The rollers G serve only to receiveand sustain the weight when the vehicle is turned over to either side.The trunnionseats F', since they depend from the upper plate F, willprevent all grit from collecting therein and grinding upon the trunnionsG'. So, also, the inclined way D', because of its inclination', willserve, in agreat measure, to keep itself clean of grit. It will beobserved,

also, that this structure enables me to entire-` ly dispense withcross-pieces extending from one piece, A, to the otherpiece, A, or oflongitudinal pieces extending between the braces G are the rollers,andas set forth, any side thrust brought'ito bear on the rollers will berestricted by the shape of the rollers and their way, nud the wheelwillf` turn on its bearing notwithstanding any lateral pressure bro.;ghtto bear on the same. trunnions, slotted as described, allow of the readyattachment of the rollers, and also pre- Y vent the accumulation of gritabout the journals of the trunnions.

I do not limit myself to the precise number of rollers that are hereshown, there being six shown in the drawings; whereas. there might bemore or less than that number, as desired. 1

What I claim is- 1. The circular plate D, constructedwith an inclinedtrack or roller-way, D', and provided with the arched cross-piece E, thecrown of. the arch formed with a raised at bearing for supporting theupper plate F, substantially as l and for the purpose set forth.

The'

the rollers G, and the dependent trunnionseats F', of the slots f',substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of the lower plate D, upper'plate F, and inclinedrollers G, with the open-slotted trunnion-seats F', substantially as andfor the purpose described.

5. The combination of the bolsters J, the up per plate F, the lowerplate D, provided with an inclined roller-way, inclined rollers G, andthe arched cross-bar E, the said parts so constructed, substantially asdescribed, that the direct weight shall be borne by the said crossbar E,substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The fifth-wheel, composed of the lower plate D, with the inclinedelevated way D', the upper plate F, with the dependent trunnionseats F',the inclined rollers G, the arched vbar E, the plate H, the bolster J,and the kingbolt I, substantially'as and for the purpose described.

In ltestimony whereof I have signed my i name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.`

JOHN BURT. Witnesses:

FRANCIS TOUMEY, JAMES P. WALSH.

